2004 Winners

Fast Facts on Winners: Read a
breakdown of wins by game, publisher and platform
here.Best of ShowSony PSP
(Mobile Gaming System - Sony Computer Entertainment)The tenth anniversary of E3 was overflowing with
impressive new videogames. But more than any one title, the headlines were
captured by two new mobile gaming devices. The DS demonstrated Nintendo's
ability to innovate, but Sony’s PlayStation Portable (or PSP) is the device most
likely to initiate a revolution in handheld gaming. There are, to be fair,
unanswered questions about the PSP -- not the least of which is how much it will
cost. Still, the PSP won our hearts and votes thanks to a sleek jet-black form
factor and a spectacularly large and bright screen -- which is nearly as large
as both Nintendo DS screens put together. But more than anything else, our
confidence in PSP is rooted in Sony’s demonstration of games that will make the
system appeal to players over 18. Walking away from E3, we are hard-pressed to
imagine a post-pubescent gamer who won’t aspire to own the device when it
arrives in the US by the end of March 2005. The PSP captured our imagination at
E3 and, in turn, wins the Best of Show award. The dawn of a new age for portable
gaming will soon begin.

Best Original
GameDonkey Kong Jungle Beat(Nintendo for GameCube)Let's face it: Sony's year-old
EyeToy is the kind of quietly brilliant peripheral that should have come from
Nintendo, but didn't. So when word came that Nintendo's response would be a pair
of bongos, for yet another rhythm game, the collective response was a quietly
uninterested yawn. Then the Kyoto giant unveiled Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
at E3, provoking a loud "Holy Sh*t!" from even the hardest of the hardcore
gamers fortunate enough to get their hands on it. The concept -- a platformer
built around the drum peripheral designed for Donkey Konga -- is so
crazed that only Nintendo could have dreamt it up, yet it just feels so...right.
Easy to learn, difficult to master and accessible as all get out, one can only
hope that Donkey Kong Jungle Beat becomes the gateway drug that turns
millions of people back onto Nintendo. Quiet, it ain't. But brilliant? Hell,
yes.

- N'Gai Croal, General Editor,
Newsweek

Best PC GameSplinter Cell 3(UbiSoft Montreal/UbiSoft for PC)You have to work hard to keep improving on a
winning formula. With the original Splinter Cell, stealth action received
a sensational redefinition in a thoroughly captivating gaming experience. The
franchise leapt over its own high bar with the sequel, Splinter Cell: Pandora
Tomorrow, thanks to an amazingly innovative multiplayer mode that rightly
captivated gamers. With a strong field of candidates in the Best PC Game
category, innovation was a key factor, and Splinter Cell 3 delivered. Its
graphical fidelity was impressive on its own, helping construct stunningly
realistic environments for skulking and stalking. But the standout was the
fresh cooperative multiplayer options. Two spies working together, pulling each
other into new locations, using each other's skills to access different areas
and hanging in the shadows to avoid detection - it's a thing of beauty, standing
proudly above the PC gaming competition as the Best PC game of E3 2004.

Best Console
GameHalo 2
(Bungie Studios/Microsoft for Xbox)Beating back every other title in this category
for the second year running is no small feat. How did Bungie do it? Simple: It
upgraded last year’s single player demo to a multiplayer frag-stravaganza. There
was nothing surprising about the Spartans’ obscenely polished visors, or the
umpteenth permutation of capture the flag on the Zanzibar map. No, it was the
subtleties -- the way it felt to rip through a Covenant Elite with weapons in
each hand, or watching a Warthog wobble off course after having a single tire
blown off. An obsessive familiarity with the original Halo, while not
required, made these nuances even more drool-worthy. And just when you figured
out how to ride the fan blade to the top and shoot the latch that drops the
platform leading to the killer Plasma Sword, well, the next demolition crew was
on deck. And suddenly November 9th seemed like a long time to wait.

-- Noah Robischon, Entertainment
Weekly

Best
Peripheral/HardwarePSP
(Mobile Gaming System - Sony Computer Entertainment)From its sleek, black ergonomic design to the large
4.3-inch 16:9 widescreen screen, PSP emits coolness. Sony’s answer to Nintendo’s
dominance of the handheld market has the potential to become the iPod of the
entertainment world by fusing videogames, movies and music into one compact
travel accessory. With graphical power on par with PS2 games and visuals that
border on HDTV clarity, no portable gaming system has ever packed this kind of
power. Of course, a game system is only as good as the software, and Sony has
aligned 100 third part publishers to help the system get started on the right
foot. A bevy of wireless connectivity opens up new gameplay options as players
can interact with other PSPs, PCs, and PS2s. While Sony’s PSP will stand on its
own as a game machine, its Universal Media Discs will introduce a new format to
view movies and music videos on the go. In a crowded field, Sony has produced
the best portable entertainment device yet.

-- John Gaudiosi, Hollywood
Reporter

Best Action
GameHalo 2
(Bungie Studios/Microsoft for Xbox)The original Halo not only set a new bar
for intelligent, action packed shooters -- it also cast a huge shadow over all
of the Xbox games that would follow it. The doubters believed the system would
never receive a better game. They were wrong. Halo 2 is loaded with a
feature set that makes every gamer weak in the knees. The graphics, sounds and
gameplay have all been vastly improved. Want destructible vehicles and
environments? You got ‘em. Want to be able to carjack an enemy’s ride? You’re
all set. Shoot two weapons at once? Yep. Slice up foes with a Covenant Energy
Sword? Done. Best of all, thanks to Xbox Live, there’s no need to share tiny
sections of a TV screen, look for online “tunnels,” or find rich friends with an
Xbox LAN. Ask yourself this: What other game will you be playing November 9th?

-- Victor Lucas, Executive
Producer/Host, Electric Playground

Best
Action/Adventure GameSplinter Cell 3
(UbiSoft Montreal/UbiSoft for PC)The line between what is real and what is a game
keeps getting blurred. Just look at Splinter Cell 3. The latest chapter
of the stealth action series does the franchise proud with cutting edge – not to
mention atmospheric -- graphics. As Sam Fisher trudges through one mission, rain
begins to fall and his outfit gets noticeably wet. But perhaps Splinter Cell
3’s greatest contribution to the stealth action genre may come from its
online multiplayer mode. Cooperative play has been underutilized in games, but
this game’s co-op mode forces players to use teamwork to complete tasks like
climbing up over ledges and crawling through air vents. Get in line to buy this
one when it is released; you won’t be disappointed.

- Pete Metzger, Los Angeles
Times

Best Fighting
GameDef Jam: Fight for New York
(EA Canada/EA Games for All Console Systems)Though the days of dumping quarters into arcade
fighting games may be over for most of us, the surging popularity of
online-enabled video games means there's a renewed demand for titles in which
two (or more) players can beat each other up. A number of noteworthy games in
this category were on display at E3 2004, and the one that impressed the judges
most of all was Def Jam: Fight for NY, EA's upcoming sequel to 2003's
Def Jam Vendetta. This visually impressive game promises to deliver an even
more action-packed combat system, borderline-ridiculous numbers of new
characters and customization options, and a grittier style than its predecessor.
The promise of being able to fight online using your favorite muscle-bound
hip-hop artist or even your own creation is one reason why we can’t wait for
this fight to get underway.

-- Greg Kasavin, Executive
Editor, GameSpot

Best Role
Playing GameJade Empire
(Bioware/Microsoft for Xbox)After winning the Best Role Playing Game award for
five out of the past seven E3 shows, we think it's safe to say that BioWare
knows what they're doing when it comes to RPGs. With this year's winner --
Jade Empire -- the Canadian RPG masters are taking their expertise to the
next level by putting a new twist on a venerable genre. That twist is blending
the rich storyline and deep character development we've come to expect from an
RPG with a real-time, twitch-based combat system. Set against a mythological
Chinese backdrop, this RPG doesn’t follow the model of every other RPG we've
played in the past – and that’s why it’s a fitting winner as this year’s Best
RPG.

-Tal Blevins, Editorial Manager, IGN

Best Racing
GameBurnout 3
(Criterion Games/Electronic Arts for PlayStation 2, Xbox)While other racing games may be more simulation
than peddle-to-the-metal racer, the Burnout series has never strayed far from
its over-the-top, high-speed action crashes. Amen to that. With this third
installment, developer Criterion Games is taking the speed and the spectacular
pile-ups to a new level -- online. Burnout 3 screams to be played online
and now up to six players can play simultaneously on either the PlayStation 2
or, for the first time, over Xbox Live. With more than 70 different cars, tight
controls and spectacular visuals, this game has moved itself from the middle to
the front of the racing pack.

-- Derek Collins, Editorial Director, Happy Puppy

Best
Simulation GameThe Sims 2
(Maxis/EA Games for PC)The sequel to the best-selling PC game of
all-time, The Sims 2 is the Seinfeld of interactive entertainment. Like
its predecessor, The Sims 2 celebrates the mundane situations of life,
letting players control an on-screen character and tend to his/her needs. And
with its fully 3D presentation, you can now observe the action first hand. Some
of the less entertaining tedium of life -- like cleaning and bathing -- has been
stripped away and replaced with “personalities” which let players specialize
their sim’s talents and interests. The original The Sims won acclaim for
its wit and originality. The Sims 2 captures this year’s Best Simulation
award for having improved game mechanics, a more immersive player perspective,
and most importantly, the same absurd sense of humor that made the original such
a classic.

-- Steve Kent, Seattle Post

Best Sports
GameMadden NFL 2005
(EA Tiburon/EA Sports for All Systems)Although Madden NFL Football has long been the
measuring stick that all sports games are measured against, EA Sports has not
wasted the off-season resting on its laurels. This year’s edition, Madden NFL
2005, will give fans of defense plenty to celebrate. Players can now counter
quarterback audibles by changing defensive formations and coverages at the last
second, just as we see defenses do on TV. And with the new Hit Stick, you can
gamble that your tackler can deliver a bone-shattering hit -- using the right
analog stick -- and perhaps cause a fumble. In addition to these revolutionary
additions, EA Sports has improved the look of the players and the environments.
The skies in the background, for instance, look incredibly realistic. Once
again, EA has taken another step closer to letting players simulate their own
any given Sundays.

- Mike Snider, USA Today

Best Strategy
GameThe Lord of the Rings: The Battle for
Middle Earth
(EALA/EA Games for PC)What’s the most lasting impression of the Battle
for Middle Earth? Thousands upon thousands upon thousands of orcs all lined up
baying for blood. At least that’s what it seemed like. The epic battles of the
Lord of the Rings movies have been brought to the PC in spectacular
fashion, and the first question from the lips of most that saw this game was,
“How could they possibly have done that?” Best of all, the huge armies aren't
just groups of mindless brutes -- they are aware and react to their
surroundings. Squads of combatants bait each other before (and during) battle.
And with each passing victory, the troops get whipped up into a fervor that
further enhances the experience. Once again, Electronic Arts proves that it can
tap into the essence of a film franchise and produce a game perfectly suited for
both the fans and the platform on which it appears, the PC. A worthy winner --
and a victory write-up without a single Middle Earth cliché in sight!

- John Davison, Editorial
Director, Ziff Davis Media Game Group

Best
Puzzle/Trivia/Parlor GameDonkey Kong: Jungle Beat
(Nintendo for GameCube)The bongos peripheral Nintendo is hawking for its
Donkey Konga rhythm game is cool, but it’d be easy to see it being doomed
to one-shot status like the maracas from Samba de Amigo or the room-sized
controller from Steel Battalion. Fortunately, the Big N isn’t going to
let these drums go gently: Witness Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. Upon first
glance, it may seem like an ordinary platformer. But then you realize that the
only way D.K. will boogie across the screen is if you start tapping the bongo
skins. Pound the left bongo to run left, pound the right bongo to run right,
pound them both to jump, and just pray that your general lack of rhythm isn’t
enough to doom Kong to an early grave. Combined with a bunch of mini-games (such
as a boxing scene in which you have to rapidly strike the drums to punch out an
opponent), Donkey Kong Jungle Beat’s unique twist on platforming stole
plenty of hearts at the show. You can bet Matthew McConaughey already
has his copy on order.

-- Eric Eckstein, UGO

Best Online
MultiplayerHalo 2
(Bungie Studios/Microsoft for Xbox)Last E3, when Bungie showed us the brilliant single
player gameplay of Halo 2, we cheered. This year, after Bungie revealed
the much-anticipated multiplayer gameplay, we cheered again. Of all the
multiplayer games on the show floor this year, none left an impression on us
like Halo 2. Capture the Flag was the name of the game, and the African
beachfront of Zanzibar was the location. With Covenant forces taking control of
the city, it’s up to the Master Chief and his fellow Marines to go in and
conquer. With 16-player support, new weapons, improved graphics and an
incredibly complex damage model, Halo 2 multiplayer is everything we’ve
come to expect and much more. This is online multiplayer redefined.

- Tom Ham,
Washington Post

Special
Commendation for GraphicsSplinter Cell 3
(UbiSoft Montreal/UbiSoft for PC)For all of Sam Fisher’s stealth, there was still
no surprise when Splinter Cell 3 won this award. The first two
Splinter Cell games were visually stunning; the third takes the series’
visual pizzazz to the next level. Spectacular shadows and lighting heighten the
game’s tense ambiance. Amazing facial animations show every pained expression.
And new environments effects like rain draw you further into Fisher’s world.
Many games at E3 featured great eye candy, but Splinter Cell 3 earns this
award because its graphics help create rich and compelling stealth scenarios --
ones we can't wait to play later this year.

-- Darren Gladstone, Senior
Editor, Computer Gaming World

The Game Critics Awards are not associated with or endorsed by the ESA, IDG
or E3 Management